In a Disconnected World, Can Food Still Unite Us?
In a Disconnected World, Can Food Still Unite Us?
with Sophie Dalah, Chloé Crane Leroux, Freda Yuan, Sophia Agnella Anita Stolz and Joumana Jacob
By HURS Team
Since the first recipes were carved into tablets nearly 4000 years ago, food has remained a cornerstone of the human experience. Firstly, for survival, but beyond that, food is the ultimate conduit of culture, from passing down recipes from one generation to the next to food rituals practiced with family and loved ones. Food matters.
But in today’s world, the meanings we attach to food have changed. Naturally, many traditions remain, but there’s been a fundamental shift in how we interact with — and the associations we make through — what’s on our plate. We’re inundated with a continuous stream of imagery, videos and information about food. #Food has more than 250 million posts on Instagram, and are seen by users about 18 times a day. 38% of Instagram users look at food content, and 27% of users share food content. From the must-visit restaurants to recipes and health advice. While some of this content connects and inspires, some of it is of a toxic, comparative nature. Additionally, what you eat has become a signifier of much more than what appeals to your palette. With movements like the carnivore and raw vegan diet, food has become a deeper part of our identity, and beyond that a signifier of class and political preference. Making food a tool for division and controversy — Instagram’s algorithms favorite tools for engagement – rather than connection.
What are the dangers of attaching deeper meaning to our food? And how can we ensure that in a disconnected world, food can once again be a tool to connect to ourselves, others and the world around us?
We asked five industry insiders about what food means to them, the Instagram effect and how food can deepen relationships.